Search for the BLEND on the ROSE website and youll find it twice: once as an endurance road bike, and a few clicks later as the first in the Everyday Gravel category. Oh, and its also an urban bike, in a way. So much versatility for so little money: Is the BLEND a drop bar best of both worlds, or merely a big compromise?ROSE BLEND Gravel | 10.23 kg in size M | 1,399 | Manufacturers website 1,399 for an aluminium gravel bike equipped with GRX400 is a fair deal. If you opt for the road version with the TIAGRA groupset and narrower tires, youll save a further 200. So whats the catch? Certainly not the welds. They are neatly polished, at least in the most visible areas. We also searched in vain for stray cables which might give away the low price, but everything is elegantly integrated. Our test bike also comes in a confident orange, with an elaborate Galaxy effect to the painted carbon fork. So you could say it is a well-rounded bike? Not exactly it sports a typically angular ROSE frame. All in all, the BLEND has a clean, modern and high-quality look.A touch of 90s sci-fi the fork with the Galaxy paintwork.Polished weld seams at least in the most visible areas.Bye Bye cables the brake and shifter cables are neatly integrated.ROSEs intention to also make the urban jungle the BLENDs habitat is evident by the mounting points for optional mudguards and a kickstand. The latter may raise the eyebrows of road bike purists, but it shows that with the BLEND, ROSE are thinking beyond the traditional urban, gravel and road classifications. Take it straight from work to an after-work group ride, or from the farmers market to a gravel adventure the BLEND is designed to be your stylish sidekick for every situation.Has the drill slipped? No, the BLEND has mounting points for a kickstand and mudguards.ROSE BRAND Gravel 2024SpecificationsBrakes Shimano GRX400 160/160 mmDrivetrain Shimano GRX400 2x10Wheelset ROSE G20Tires Continental Terra Trail 700x40CCranks Shimano GRX600 Cassette Shimano HG500 11-34TTechnical DataSize XXS XS S M L XL XXL Tuning Tip: A carbon seatpost will make the BLEND even more comfortable.SizeXXSXSSMLXLXXLTop tube502 mm518 mm538 mm558 mm575 mm597 mm607 mmSeat tube425 mm460 mm490 mm520 mm550 mm580 mm600 mmHead tube150 mm125 mm150 mm170 mm186 mm205 mm215 mmHead angle69.5707171.571.571.572Seat angle7574.57473.573.57373Chainstay435 mm435 mm435 mm435 mm435 mm435 mm435 mmBB Drop75 mm75 mm72 mm72 mm72 mm70 mm70 mmWheelbase1009.9 mm1017 mm1025.1 mm1035.4 mm1053 mm1,068.6 mm1075.3 mmReach360 mm365 mm373 mm381 mm394 mm403 mm411 mmStack532 mm552 mm577 mm598 mm613 mm629 mm640 mmNo choice? No problem! The features of the ROSE BLENDThe design is pretty straightforward if you enjoy clicking through all of the different variants, you may be disappointed with the BLEND. There is only one choice to make: road or gravel. We chose gravel, and got Shimanos rock solid GRX400 mechanical groupset with 2x cranks and hydraulic disc brakes, in-house G20 aluminium wheels and a mix of Ritchey and ROSE aluminium parts. Of course, youll find lighter and better performing parts on more expensive bikes, but for those entering the world of drop bars with the BLEND, there are more important things to consider.Aluminium parts are more forgiving of overtightening than carbon parts, and the 10-speed drivetrain is less finicky than its high-end 12- and 13-speed counterparts. The BLEND removes barriers and anxiety, especially for beginners. Its a relief not to have to compare groupsets or wheelsets before buying, but to just ride. And thats exactly what were going to do now.Although the dust may sometimes kick up the BLEND is more of a rouleur than a racer.First ride review of the ROSE BLENDThere is no need to worry about your back when riding the BLEND. The riding position is balanced and relaxed. Although not ideal for racers, the relaxed frame geometry (with a stack-to-reach ratio of 1.56) is a game changer for leisurely tours or longer bikepacking trips. The central position on the bike and the flattened top of the handlebar also take the strain off your hands. As an added bonus, the ROSE BLEND lets you see more of the world than just your front wheel.Helmet MET Manta | Glasses Oakley Radar | Vest Straede | Jersey Straede Aerlig Longsleeve | Bib Straede Aero Bib Shorts | Shoes S-Works ReconNervousness and fussiness are not in the BLENDs nature. With its 435 mm chainstays, it delivers smooth, straight-line stability. The intuitive steering matches the relaxed design and gives a great deal of confidence. When things get a bit rough off-road, its worth reaching for the drops. These flare outwards, providing more control when riding on the drops. And as we are already in the drops, we decide to put the BLENDs sprinting ability to the test and for the first time, we hit its limits. Agility and acceleration are perhaps not its strong points. If youre looking for a race-day rocket, ROSEs Backroad FF is a much more suitable choice. Once revved up, however, the BLEND maintains its speed and rolls efficiently on all surfaces.A true all-rounder: the BLEND also performs well on tarmac.Wellness for your hands: the cockpit is extremely comfortable.To stand still is a step forward: you wont find better brakes in this price range.We were particularly curious to see how a bike designed for comfort would fare without the benefits of carbon, the ultimate master of suspension. Well, for an aluminium frame with an aluminium seatpost, the BLEND does a very good job. That said, most of the credit for our comfort goes to the 40 mm Continental Terra Trail tires. Lots of volume means lots of comfort. But if youre thinking of fitting even wider tires, you risk scratching the stylish paintwork. You cant fit more than 40 mm between the orange seatstays. This is where the frame, which is the same as on the road version, reveals its limitations.2-speed front, 10-speed rear with the robust Shimano GRX400 drivetrain, youll find the right gear for every climb.The GRX400 drivetrain is particularly popular with beginners. Those who have not yet been spoilt by the comfort and precision of electronic shifting will find a robust, easily adjustable drivetrain and strong braking performance. The double chainset deserves special mention. With a 30 T chainring at the front and a 34 T sprocket at the rear, you can winch your way up steep climbs, and can keep going when others are already pushing their bikes. The highest gear 46 x 11 T will limit your top speed a little on the road. If youre going to spend a lot of time on tarmac, the sportier road version is a better choice.At the rear, a 10-speed cassette does the job on our BLEND. Youll find larger jumps between the gears than with a 12- or 13-speed drivetrain, meaning you have to adjust your cadence more when changing gears, but on a relaxed gravel ride or bikepacking tour you wont miss the extra sprockets.The BLEND is not a specified adventure bike, but it opens up a whole new world of possibilities for beginners.Talking of bikepacking, with its robust drivetrain, mountain-ready gear ratios and relaxed geometry, the BLEND definitely has what it takes for an extended road or gravel trip. We would have liked to see ROSE add a few more mounting points for bottles, bags or even a pannier rack the paintwork just looks too good to be scratched by Velcro straps.The ROSE BLEND is an entry-level bike that doesnt look like one. Its not a downsized, stripped-down derivative of a higher-priced model, but a concept in its own right that provides well-priced access to cycling, blurring the boundaries of existing categories. The BLEND is relaxed, robust and smartly equipped a really good deal with a pretty sexy look!Topsintuitive handlinggood value for moneyhigh quality lookpractical featuresFlopshardly any mounting points for bikepackingFor more information, visit rosebikes.comDer Beitrag ROSE BLEND The drop bar all-rounder in review erschien zuerst auf GRAN FONDO Cycling Magazine.